


What Makes a Good Smile

by grandmelon



Category: Free!
Genre: Childhood Friends, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, M/M, Minor Bullying, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-20
Updated: 2016-04-20
Packaged: 2018-06-03 10:21:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6607195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grandmelon/pseuds/grandmelon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What makes a good smile is whether or not it makes you want to smile back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Makes a Good Smile

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BakaPandy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BakaPandy/gifts).



> HAPPY BIRTHDAY PANDY!!! This is both a gift for your birthday and a thank you gift because I’ve been in a really big writer’s block and you inspired me to write my first fic since it started… So here you go! Some smol sourins that we both desperately needed! I hope you like it!!!
> 
> I have no explanation behind Rin’s teeth but neither does KyoAni so it’s fine lol

 

His palms began to sting as he dug his blunt nails into the meat of his hands, a snarl on his lips as his bullies laughed. It wasn’t bad enough that just the other day the cutest girl in the class, as determined by all of his friends, told me his smile was scary, but he just had to run into Mashima and his gang of goons. He felt a knot growing in his throat as they insulted him.

 

“What’s wrong Matsuoka? Going to cry?” Fujimaki taunted while still hiding behind his leader. Rin wasn’t afraid of him, he could take Fujimaki any day of the week if he was alone. But Mashima was big, and four against one was hardly fair.

 

“I’m not going to cry! Get out of here!” Rin yelled, not backing down.

 

“Careful there. Now that Matsuoka’s got those freaky teeth of his he could tear your throat out,” Mashima laughed. His tilted head held high, mocking him, and infuriating to see. Mashima’s eyes shifted and his head lowered back to a normal angle, gaze behind Rin.

 

Rin jumped out of his skin as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, ready to fight when he saw tuffs of unruly black hair and tired, droopy eyes looking at him. His shoulders sagged in relief, tears welling in his eyes at the sight of his best friend.

 

“Sousuke!”

 

“Morning. Couldn’t even wait for me?” Sousuke yawned into the back of his hand. Rin froze, unhappy to realize that if he had just calmed down for a minute he wouldn’t have had to deal with his tormentors all on his own. Mashima clicked his tongue, dragging Sousuke and his attention back to him.

 

“So your boyfriend’s come to save you again, Matsuoka?” Mashima started, crossing his arms and throwing back his head with a smug smirk as his friends laughed. Rin’s protests died on his tongue, there and ready as they always were when this particular insult was made, but Sousuke beat him to it.

 

“You know Mashima we’re getting real tired of this. ‘Your boyfriend’ this and ‘your boyfriend’ that. Don’t you have anything better to say? What’s wrong? Are you jealous?”

 

“J—JEALOUS!?” Mashima shrieked, all of his friends in shock at the proclamation.

 

“Well why else would you go out of your way to pick on Rin? You pull his hair just like idiot’s pull their crush’s hair,” Sousuke continued. Rin winced at the memories of his hair being nearly teared out. “All you ever talk about anymore is Rin, even right now while it’s summer break you got to just find a way to get his attention. Aren’t you the one who wants to be Rin’s boyfriend?”

 

Rin was choking on his spit, just as Mashima and his friends were at Sousuke’s bold words. Mashima’s hands balled up but he faltered. Sousuke sighed, as though he was really disinterested in what was going on. Rin was about to clock his own friend for spouting such nonsense but he stopped himself. Whatever he was doing seemed to work because Mashima looked unsure of where he stood at that point, and all of his friends were looking to him for orders.

 

“He pulls on his hair because it’s gross! It makes him look like a girl!” Fujimaki shouted, coming to his leader’s rescue, but Mashima did not seemed pleased, glaring at his friend.

 

“You’re the only ones who think that,” Sousuke insisted, eyebrows raising. “In fact it’s weird that you guys are always trying to touch it when you hate it so much. What, do all of you have a crush on him?”

 

“This is stupid! Let’s get out of here. You can’t argue with freaks like them. Let’s go you guys,” Mashima commanded his troupe, spinning on his heels and storming off. His followers seemed confused as to why they backed down before following after.

 

With all four of them safely out of sight Rin punched Sousuke’s shoulder, frustrated tears yet to leave his eyes. Sousuke winced and his hand shot up to protect his wounded arm. “Why did you say all of that stuff!? I’m not a girl, and now it’s all weird!”

 

“I know you’re not a girl,” Sousuke said, looking apologetic and offended at the same time. Rin punched his chest, though light enough not to hurt.

 

“Then why’d you do it!? You don’t really believe he likes me do you!?” Rin scowled at the thought, a disgust in his stomach as he thought about Mashima thinking of him like that. Sousuke didn’t answer right away, and for a second Rin thought he wasn’t going to answer him at all but he shook his head.

 

“Nah, he’s probably just jealous because you’re so cool,” Sousuke teased, though Rin knew he wasn’t kidding. “Well, maybe he does have a crush on you, but it’s definitely because of how tough you are. Like a love at first fist fight kind of thing.”

 

“That’s messed up,” Rin choked, though he laughed a little. “Like a weird yakuza drama.”

 

“Right?” Sousuke sighed, walking into the park with his friend. They settled on the swings though they didn’t bother start kicking out their legs just yet, just sitting.

 

“Sorry I had to say all that, but I had to say something that’d embarrass him enough to back off. If I said he was just jealous of you he’d just get angry and start a fight. Why didn’t you run when you saw them anyways? Did you really want to get into a fight with four guys?” Sousuke asked, concern lacing his voice.

 

“No,” Rin muttered, shaking his head. “You’re the only one who’d think that far ahead, I just know that if I run they’ll try and catch me. But we could have taken them if it was you and me!”

 

“Well good to know you’re confident in us, but I’d really rather not get in a fight,” Sousuke laughed, though there was a tired look in his eyes.

 

“Sousuke?” Rin hummed, turning to fully face his friend.

 

“If I got into fights my mom would kill me,” Sousuke replied, and Rin winced, knowing his friend would definitely get a beating for that. “But, well, if you really needed me I wouldn’t leave you alone.”

 

“Thanks Sousuke,” Rin whispered, a smile growing on his lips. Sousuke smiled back and he felt his heart flutter in his chest.

 

“So does that mean you got into fights before?”

 

“Yeah, tons before we became friends. Actually it stopped right after,” Rin mused, stopping when he realized what that meant. He groaned, kicking his feet out against the dirt. “Man! That makes me so mad! It’s totally because of you!”

 

“Because of me?” Sousuke asked, surprised by the proclamation.

 

“If I was bigger and cooler like you no one would mess with me,” Rin continued, starting to pump his legs into a fast motion. He was swinging high and reckless in his frustration.

 

“What? Like me?” Sousuke choked on his words, face flushing. “What does that even mean? Besides aren’t you cool enough already?”

 

“Huh?” Rin asked, coming to a screeching halt as he dragged his feet against the dirt to stop himself.

 

“I—I mean you’re always spouting out stuff only one of those heroes from jump would say,” Sousuke stuttered, facing forward and avoiding Rin’s eyes.

 

“Is that an insult or a compliment?” Rin asked, genuinely confused because his friend often teased him for that kind of thing.

 

“Anyways,” Sousuke continued, rubbing the back of his neck. Rin’s breath stopped as he saw the red tint of his ears and smiled, knowing Sousuke was being sincere.

 

“Sousuke,” Rin whispered. “Thanks.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. So what were they bothering you about this time?” Sousuke asked, diverting the attention from himself. Rin rolled his eyes but decided to let it go. If Sousuke got too embarrassed he’d just get mean and they’d have a big fight about it.

 

“My teeth. You know ‘you’re a monster,’ kind of stuff,” Rin admitted, scuffing his shoe against dirt. He crossed his ankles and threw himself back, only his hold of the swing’s chains keeping him up as he looked at the sky. “That they’re weird and stuff.”

 

“Don’t listen to that idiot. They’re cool,” Sousuke reassured, turning in his seat to look at Rin. Rin glanced at him, amused by the weird angle in which he saw his friend. “I’m serious. And don’t listen to what those dumb girls at school say either.”

 

“Maybe you’re the weird one Sousuke,” Rin laughed as he pulled himself upright. He ran his tongue along his teeth and turned to his friend as though he had a secret to tell. “I lost another one last night.”

 

“Another one?” Sousuke hummed. “Let’s see it then.”

 

Rin got off the swing and stood in front of Sousuke though his face felt hot and he wanted to run. It always felt so embarrassing when he was showing Sousuke his teeth, but he was the only one who didn’t think they were weird. Even his mom was worried, though Gou didn’t seem to mind. They were best friends so it wasn’t like Rin really minded showing him anyways.

 

“Hey, I can’t see if you don’t open your mouth more,” Sousuke laughed under his breath as he stood up.

 

Rin felt his skin prickle with goosebumps as his friend looked down at him. Sousuke held his chin steady and Rin tilted his head back as he opened his mouth just a smidgen wider. He watched the way Sousuke looked at his mouth, like he was admiring it or something. It made his stomach churn and his nose tingle, but he couldn’t claim it to be an unpleasant feeling, just odd.

 

“Wow, it’s even growing in already. And look at your other ones. You sure are quick about everything, huh?”

 

“Quicker than you maybe,” Rin joked, pulling back and watching the way his friend’s hand stayed in the air just a moment longer before dropping. “How long is it going to be before yours grow in?”

 

“Who knows?” Sousuke sighed. “How long did it take for your front teeth to grow in?”

 

“I don’t really know, not long. But my bottom teeth started falling out first, so maybe yours fell out too early?” Rin hummed, crossing his arms as he thought about it. “Maybe that’s it. You lost both of your front teeth at the same time, and mine felt out like months apart from each other!”

 

“Yeah, maybe. It’s annoying though.”

 

“I’d rather my teeth didn’t grown in like yours,” Rin muttered, watching the grass next to them bend in the wind. A solemn moment passed between them before he shrugged and crossed over the slide, climbing up the ladder without a word.

 

“You shouldn’t wish that,” Sousuke called to him, following him up the ladder. When Rin got to the top he just sat there instead of sliding down, looking out over the empty playground. Sousuke remained standing behind him, holding onto the bars.

 

“It’s bad enough as it is, I don’t need a weird smile too,” Rin grumbled to himself. “When I get older I’ll get them redone or something. Like those surgeries you hear about on TV.”

 

“Why do that? It’d be a waste, they’re really cool. And besides, you—you have a nice smile already,” Sousuke coughed into his arm. Rin spun around to look at his friend, shocked at his unusual straightforwardness.

 

“Really?”

 

“Well—yeah, you know. It’s pretty and,” Sousuke continued, flinching at his words as Rin scowled. “Not like, pretty girly pretty, just, you know. Nice. Like it makes you want to smile too or something. And your teeth are cool so it’ll be fine even if they’re all like that.”

 

“You think my smile’s nice?” Rin squeaked, his heart thumping and his smile growing despite himself. Sousuke stared at him, horror crossing his eyes before he gave his friend a good shove. Rin yelped as he found himself sliding down and falling onto the dusty dirt below. “Hey! What was that for!?”

 

“Stop making me say embarrassing things Matsuoka!” Sousuke groaned from the top, his face turned away, stubbornly sitting at the top of the slide.

 

“I’m not making you say anything Yamazaki! Now get down here before I come and drag you down myself!”

 

~~~xx~~~

 

Something strange was afoot, Rin was sure of it as he watched his friend mumble his self-introduction for the third time. Their teacher was at wits end and ordered Sousuke to sit down, tired of trying to decipher whatever the unusually soft spoken boy was trying to say. Sousuke wasn’t a loud person per say, but his voice carried well. Rin always likened it to his own mother who never raised her voice but he could always hear in a crowd.

 

Sousuke must have gotten a sore throat or something, Rin decided as he continued to observe how his friend didn’t talk to anyone that school day, not even him. He just sat there and said nothing, though he seemed a bit more responsive when Rin told him Gou was sick so they’d be walking home alone that day. Maybe Sousuke had caught something over break, but Rin couldn’t be sure since he didn’t actually get to see Sousuke during it.

 

The rest of the class went on quietly, but Rin couldn’t tell if it was actually that quiet or if he was too aware of the lack of Sousuke’s voice. When it was over he didn’t even say anything to Rin as they packed up and got ready to leave, but he did wait for him which made Rin feel a little better. There was a brief moment, that he was just a bit guilty about afterwards, where he felt like Sousuke was going to ignore him because it was the new school year.

 

Walking home had never been so silent. Rin kept glancing at his friend, waiting for him to say something. When the school and all of their nosy peers were far behind him Rin took in a deep breath. Sousuke’s face was all scrunched up into a scowl and he was sure something was wrong, and if Sousuke wasn’t going to bring it up Rin would.

 

“Hey, Sou? Is something the matter?”

 

“No, why?” Sousuke grunted, glancing at him. Rin stopped in his tracks and Sousuke did the same, forehead scrunching up in confusion. “What?”

 

“Well it’s just you’ve been awfully quiet. Like more quiet than normal and—you know you can tell me anything so what’s wrong?” Rin pressed, rubbing the back of his neck. “And don’t say nothing because I know that isn’t true.”

 

“It’s nothing that serious. Jeez Matsuoka relax a little,” Sousuke laughed though something crossed his face then. Before Rin could figure out what the strange emotion was Sousuke was turning his head away and covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He mumbled something behind his self-made wall and Rin leaned in closer, trying to hear what his friend was saying.

 

“What was that?”

 

“I said it’s nothing I just lost more teeth,” Sousuke said a little louder.

 

“How many?” Rin asked, instantly excited. “You said more so that means it wasn’t just one! Let me see Sousuke, come on!”

 

Sousuke’s hand went slack under Rin’s incessant tugging and he frowned, eyes falling to the side. He pulled back his lips a bit in what was more a grimace than a smile and Rin’s gaze narrowed in on the wide gap now in Sousuke’s mouth.

 

“Are all of your front teeth gone!?” Rin cried out in shock though he was already smiling as he said it. Rin also saw the pearly white of Sousuke’s big tooth under the skin, ready to break. The other one was just barely showing behind the protection of his gums, though already breaking the surface.

 

“Yeah, so!?” Sousuke shouted, stepping back and turning away, shoulders drawing up. Rin felt a little shaken up by his sudden retreat, seeing a pout on Sousuke’s face when usually it was a scowl. Rin shook his head and grabbed Sousuke’s elbow, pulling him back around.

 

“It’s fine Sousuke! It’s cute!” Rin blurted out, trying to appease his sulking friend.

 

“Cute!?” Sousuke screeched, pushing Rin away and storming off. Rin chided himself on his wording as he ran to catch up with the other.

 

“I didn’t mean it like that Sousuke!” Rin huffed as he hooked their arms together and slowed down, forcing Sousuke to bring down his pace. “Stop walking so fast! Anyways, I just meant that it doesn’t look as bad as you think it does Sousuke.”

 

“I look like an idiot,” Sousuke declared, eyes unamused by Rin.

 

“No you don’t, you look—well actually you look like a hippopotamus—BUT I MEAN THAT IN A GOOD WAY! Like it’s super cute! Like a baby hippopotamus! Like at the zoo we saw that one time remember?” Rin babbled on, digging himself into a deeper hole. Sousuke stopped walking, causing Rin to be jerked back as he kept trying to move forward. Sousuke was like a rock when he didn’t want to be moved and Rin groaned, knowing his friend was probably angry with him.

 

“Did you just compare me to a hippo?” Sousuke asked, eyes wide and incredulous. Rin stared at him with similar eyes, though fear showed as rubbed the back of his neck in his nervousness.

 

“Yes?” Rin squeaked, a sheepish grin on his face. He shut his eyes tight, waiting for his friend to get angry or something but Sousuke just started to laugh. Rin’s heart stopped as he watched the other, feeling the tremors in their linked arms. They were so close Rin could see the smile in his laugh and it made Rin smile too.

 

Sousuke’s smile was sweet and genuine. Not marred by the loss of his four front teeth, but somehow looking more endearing because of that missing top row. It made Rin want to take a picture to keep forever. He promised himself then that he would definitely get Auntie Yamazaki to take a picture of that smile. Even though Sousuke hated smiling for photos, he'd make sure to get at least one.

 

“You’re so weird sometimes,” Sousuke laughed, wiping at his eyes. Rin didn’t even bother hit him for that, hearing that there was no malice in his words.

 

“I’m serious Sousuke! You have a really nice smile. The kind that makes you want to smile,” Rin assured, recalling what his friend had told him last summer. “A really cute smile.”

 

“Embarrassing,” Sousuke groaned, though he was still grinning from ear to ear.

 

“You said it first,” Rin countered, a giggle on his tongue.

 

“Yeah but you got it wrong Matsuoka, I said your smile was pretty, not cute.”

 

Rin tensed up, embarrassed and made shy by their conversation, but he tried to laugh it off. He tugged his friend in the direction home and they resumed walking. “That’s true, but Sousuke’s smile is definitely more cute than pretty.”

 

“Embarrassing,” Sousuke moaned into his other arm, watching Rin from the corner of his eyes. Rin smiled at him before letting go of his friend and speeding back down the path to their house. Sousuke took off after him until they were both running like crazy fools, hoping that they wouldn’t happen upon any leftover ice from the late winter rains.

 

“I’m not embarrassing!” Rin wheezed as they took a break after reaching their street. Sousuke tried to regain his breath.

 

“You are Matsuoka. You say all kinds of embarrassing things like it’s nothing,” Sousuke argued, a ghost of a smile on his lips. Rin crossed his arms behind his head with a huff, trying to stop the pain in his side from running too fast. He was aware he did, he didn't need reminding. Rin was just happy that their impromptu race had already drawn blood to his cheeks so that he didn’t look any more embarrassed than he already was.

 

“But I guess that’s a part of what makes you cool.”

**Author's Note:**

> [my tumblr](http://melonmachinery.tumblr.com/)


End file.
